This invention relates to a gas sampling apparatus and is particularly directed to a method and apparatus for determining the volume of air present in carbonated liquids such as carbonated beverages in bottles and cans during bottling or canning operations and in process lines.
The quantity of air and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) present in carbonated beverages can be readily determined in bulk containers and in pipelines. However, the determination of these gases in liquids after packaging in bottles or cans, particularly at the high speeds encountered in existing filling machines, can be difficult and time consuming to ascertain. The presence of air in carbonated beverages, the air often being occluded in the liquid as it is loaded in the individual containers, is undesirable in that the air has a deleterious effect on carbonated beverages, such as beer, due to oxidation of beer constituents by oxygen in the air. The periodic sampling of bottles and cans filled with carbonated beverages for determining the quantity of air entrained thus is important for maintaining proper quality control and consistency of product.